In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) technologies have become increasingly popular in the field of archaeology. The creation of digital 3D models of archaeological finds and entire excavations has become a standard practice, and these models are often archived and even published. The focus of this technological development is twofold: on the one hand, there is the development of technological innovations (e.g. better cameras, higher resolution), and on the other, there is the discussion of the value of 3D data and the possibilities of its archiving. However, the potential of 3D technologies for teaching and research in archaeology has thus far been neglected. A novel approach to this topic is the immersive use of Virtual Reality to explore ancient spaces, as opposed to the traditional viewing of such content on a computer monitor.

Since 2016, the Stifterverband and the Ministry for Culture and Science of Northrhine Westfalia have been awarding fellowships for innovations in digital teaching annually to encourage innovation in digital teaching. These fellowships are individual grants that provide a designated budget and resources to facilitate innovation in teaching. The financial support available through these fellowships can reach up to €50,000, with the duration of sponsorship ranging from one year to a maximum of 12 months.

In addition to the procurement of new equipment for the CoDArchLab (comprising VR goggles, computers, 3D printers, books and RTI domes), a two-day symposium was organised at the University of Cologne. The subject of this symposium was “Digital methods for teaching and learning in Archaeology”, and it provided a forum for communication between experts in academic teaching, museums and the dissemination of archaeological knowledge regarding contemporary approaches to teaching. The subjects addressed included three-dimensional visualisation, three-dimensional printing, Archaeogaming, and other subjects of interest. The outcomes of this symposium were disseminated through an open-access publication in 2020.

Supervisor of the Project:

• Sebastian Hageneuer

Funding:

• Stifterverband

Open Access Publication:

• Hageneuer, Sebastian, Hrsg. 2020. Communicating the Past in the Digital Age: Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Methods in Teaching and Learning in Archaeology (12th-13th October 2018). London: Ubiquity. https://doi.org/10.5334/bch.

Further information:

• Complete project proposal (in German)
• Website for the Symposium "Communicating the Past in the Digital Age"